There are thousands of people working every day to revolutionize the way people think about health, fitness, and happiness, and every year we recognize those making the biggest impacts. Last year the focus seemed to be on changing American's diets (and the never-ending attempt to reduce our consumption of sugar and processed foods), building a strong booty, and reducing stress so we can be happier and more productive.
When trying to determine the most powerful innovators in this space, we looked at several factors for each candidate: social reach, trends they’ve set, products they’ve created, research they've contributed to, media coverage, and professional certifications and degrees they've attained, among a few other things. After many discussions (and way too much math), here are the 100 people we determined to be the most influential figures in fitness, health, and happiness this year.
Curious who's making their second (or third) appearance? Click here to check out last year's list.
1. Michelle Obama
The First Lady of Healthy Eating
Mobama is one hot healthy mama. An amazing role model to kids and adults alike, the First Lady has been encouraging healthier habits since taking office with her husband in 2009. But more attention-grabbing than the White House Kitchen Garden, her toned biceps, and Let’s Move, the childhood-obesity fighting program she started, is how she’s captured our hearts on the likes of Vine and Saturday Night Live. Her six-second “Turnip for What?” video went viral quicker than Kim K’s attempt to break the Internet, and let’s not forget her stunning cameo with Jimmy Fallon and Will Ferrell where she reminded us all that exercise is super healthy, not “ew.” We don’t see her stepping off the stage anytime soon—and we’re pretty happy about it.
2. Mehmet Oz, M.D.
America’s “Doctor”
While thought of by many as one of the most trusted doctors in America, Mehmet Oz, M.D., has been under the knife this year. But we’re not talking heart surgery—something Oz actually performs on the side—but instead by the media and Congress, who accused Oz of preaching inaccurate, unsupported health advice not once but several times throughout his career. And unfortunately for him, it turns out only 46 percent (out of 479 recommendations) were accurate. OUCH. Shortcomings aside, Oz continues to be a (mostly) positive presence in the health space, with millions of fans, an Emmy-Award winning show, bestselling books, and The Good Life, his new magazine, to boot.
3. Deepak Chopra, M.D.
Meditation Maven
Chips are to salsa what Deepak Chopra, M.D., is to meditation—you can’t have one without thinking of the other! Since stepping into the health limelight, Chopra has published several books, created his own meditation app, and even launched a 21-Day Meditation Experience with Oprah, which was offered in Spanish in 2014, its second year. Though the holistic wellness advocate’s approach is questioned by many, there’s no doubt he’s on to something: Stress reduction and mindfulness does the body (and soul) good. Whether a believer or not, his website has loads of information about alternative medicine, and considering he was the chief of staff at a respected hospital in Boston, we’d say his ideas are worth exploring.
4. Jillian Michaels
The Biggest Fitness Winner
Best known for her starring role as a no-nonsense trainer on The Biggest Loser, Jillian Michaels has been publically encouraging—albeit, somewhat aggressively—healthy habits for ages. This year, however, Michaels is stepping away from the program and showing us her nicer side. With online personal training, several workout DVDs, and a popular weekly health podcast, she’s proving to be unstoppable in the fitness space. Another reason to admire her: She spreads a healthy message about love and sexuality, notably saying, “As long as you fall in love... it’s like organic food. I only eat healthy food, and I only want healthy love!” Well said.
5. Vani Hari
The Food Babe
The past 12 months have been a banner year for Vani Hari, a food activist and blogger better known as The Food Babe. Hari and her Food Babe Army convinced the biggest American beer makers to list the beverage’s ingredients on every can and got Subway to remove an ingredient from its bread that was also found in yoga mats. She even has a book, The Food Babe Way, that’ll hit shelves in February. But her rise to fame isn’t without backlash from members of the scientific community who say her claims about harmful chemicals—like the one found in Subway bread—are based on bunk science. These polar opposite opinions have led Hari to be called both the most powerful food activist and the Jenny McCarthy of food in the last year.
6. Tara Stiles
The Rule-Breaking Yogi
Vanity Fair called Tara Stiles “the coolest yoga instructor ever.” And many would tend to agree. After all, Deepak Chopra and Jane Fonda are both known to be followers of Strala Yoga, Stiles’s signature no-nonsense approach to the practice. Instead of focusing on the spiritual and philosophical aspects of yoga, Stiles is all about the physical. But don’t think she’s going to be that yoga teacher who is constantly readjusting your form. Her Make Your Own Rules Diet, which came out in November 2014, explains her approach to eating and exercise as one that needs to be tailor-fit to every individual. Instead of looking at the bendiest person in your yoga class, Stiles says we should be looking inward to determine what’s best for our bodies.
7. Mark Bittman
Flexitarian Food Advocate
The New York Times lead food columnist has proved once again that he’s an indispensable culinary resource. Last year Bittman wowed with two cookbooks: How to Cook Everything Fast, a collection of recipes for everything from wonton soup to fruit crisp—all baked from scratch in around 30 minutes—and The VB6 Cookbook, filled with vegan and flexitarian meals to help readers follow his "vegan before 6 p.m." diet. When he’s not cooking, he’s been writing columns about progressive food politics and solutions for sustainable agriculture, among other topics.
8. Gary Taubes
Initiative Taker
If you haven’t heard of the Nutrition Science Initiative yet, chances are you will in the next few years. Author and New York Times best-seller Gary Taubes—well known for his book Good Calories, Bad Calories and the controversial article “What If It’s All Been a Big Fat Lie?” in the New York Times Magazine—co-founded the nonprofit to secure resources to help fund independent research into nagging nutritional questions that are still unanswered. Not all of the scientists involved agree with Taubes’ stance that sugar—not fat—is the enemy, and Taubes seems OK if his theories are disproven. We’re eager to see the results of the studies underway.
9. Sanjay Gupta, M.D.
Doctor of the High-est Honors
CNN’s chief medical correspondent, neurosurgeon, medical marijuana supporter, Emmy Award winner, and so much more, Sanjay Gupta, M.D., has long been a trusted source and familiar face in the medical space. The man many turned to during the Ebola scare even runs Health Matters, a branch of Everyday Health where he shares advice and answers questions on everything from Angie’s chickenpox to eating disorders. But perhaps his biggest moment in the spotlight was in 2009, when he was offered the position of Surgeon General of the United States, which he humbly declined. His medical prowess seems to run in the family too: Gupta’s brother Suneel is the CEO of Rise, an app that connects users to live dieticians.
10. Tim Ferriss
Productivity Hacker
Tim Ferriss first entered the spotlight back in 2007 when he published the game-changing bestseller The 4-Hour Work Week. In the years since, he followed up with two more productivity-boosting books focused on health and fitness, The 4-Hour Body and The 4-Hour Chef. And while the lifestyle guru didn’t publish any new books in 2014, he kept fans entertained with his weekly podcast, The Tim Ferris Show, where he chatted with Margaret Cho about the slow-carb diet and chef Andrew Zimmern for quick cooking tips. The show was even named one of the best of 2014 by iTunes.
11. Dave Asprey
The Bulletproof Exec
This was the year of bulletproof coffee—a concoction that mixes a cup of joe with two tablespoons of grass-fed butter and two tablespoons of coconut oil—and that’s all thanks to Dave Asprey. The veteran Silicon Valley investor says he has spent more than $300,000 hacking his own biology to find ways to boost his metabolism (and his focus) without counting calories or taking up outrageous exercise programs. The bulletproof diet, which organizes foods from toxic to (wait for it...) bulletproof, distills his years of research into simple-to-follow guidelines. And while Asprey has plenty of people singing his praises, the scientific community has been lukewarm about his coffee and diet, awaiting more evidence.
12. Marion Nestle, Ph.D.,M.P.H.
The Food Politician
Not to be confused with the popular chocolate brand, Marion Nestle, Ph.D., M.P.H., is actually all about healthy eating. The molecular biologist, NYU and Cornell University professor, journalist, and food politics expert (and blogger) has been both studying and teaching nutrition for years. She’s also written several popular books on pet and human nutrition, and gives frequent lectures about her studies. Follow her Twitter feed to stay in-the-know about all things food.
13. Michael Pollan
Food Philosopher
Michael Pollan knows a thing or two about food: He’s published nine books about healthy eating, food philosophy, and the evolution of the things we eat. The New York Times Magazine contributor is also quite the activist, constantly challenging people to think differently about the food we consume and how that impacts our economy and environment. When not busy writing thought-provokers like his most famous work, The Omnivore’s Dilemma, Pollan teaches at the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism. Seems he’s well-versed in food and writing—which makes us that much more inclined to digest his awesome works (and thoughts).
14. Joy Bauer, R.D.
Television Nutritionista
Joy Bauer’s recipes are proof that eating healthy doesn’t have to be bland or restrictive—something we’ve always believed too. And take it from the nutritionist for the New York City Ballet to dish on diets that do a body good. The TODAY show nutrition expert also cohosts the “Joy Fit Club,” an inspiring weekly weight-loss segment. In addition to screen time, last year Bauer launched Nourish Snacks, a subscription service that delivers healthy, portion-controlled packs of nut mixes, granola, and more. Bauer, a registered dietitian, has published several nutrition books (and contributed to Weightless, a weight-loss story published last year), contributes to many healthy publications, and seems to constantly stay motivated and positive despite her crazy-busy schedule.
15. Andrew Weil, M.D.
Holistic Healer
Many doctors encourage eating a diet primarily of whole foods, but Andrew Weil, M.D., took that notion a step further by opening True Food Kitchen in 2008, a restaurant that sticks closely to the principles of his anti-inflammatory diet. Ten restaurant openings later, we think it’s safe to say Weil’s theory that a wholesome diet and lifestyle impact one’s health more than we think is likely at least somewhat accurate. The integrated medicine man and purveyor of Weil Lifestyle has also published hundreds of scientific articles, written upwards of 13 books, and is director at the Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona, where he continues to teach and endorse a holistic approach to wellness.
16. Wayne Dyer, Ph.D.
Father of Motivation
Wayne Dyer, Ph.D., can see clearly now, and he wants to help others see their lives and purpose more clearly too. The self-help author and motivational speaker has been in the health space for years, with several best-selling books (like Your Erroneous Zones), a popular 2012 PBS program, and a packed speaking schedule, to name just a few of his professional achievements. Though many are quick to criticize Dyer due to his “new age” ideas and religious assertions (he’s know for encouraging readers to emulate Jesus Christ), we love his approach to positive thinking and maximizing one’s potential.
17. Gwyneth Paltrow
Cleansing Queen
Gwyneth Paltrow cares so much about health that she named her daughter after one our favorite fruits: Apple. While that may not exactly be true, she is known for being one of the most dedicated health starlets around. A Tracy Anderson workout devotee and creator of Goop—the attention-grabbing (and sometimes extravagant) healthy-living blog—Paltrow is no stranger to the kitchen and detox cleanses. While we love that the Oscar winner is popularizing healthy dishes like salmon with sriracha and lime, her approach can sometimes seem unrealistic and restrictive. Can’t say we fully agree with Martha, though.
18. Bob Harper
The Biggest Trainer
With 16 seasons of The Biggest Loser under his belt, Harper has quickly become one of the most famous fitness trainers out there. But the CrossFit athlete’s career extends far beyond television. When not filming, Harper is training celebrity clients, penning best-selling books (and cookbooks, like his latest, Skinny Meals), contributing to health publications like Shape magazine, and creating customized workout videos available on YouTube and DVDs. One of Harper’s latest creations is Black Fire, a program he created with Daily Burn, which includes short, full-body workouts that get you fit—fast. Our muscles burn just looking at the some of the exercises!
19. Shaun "T" Blokker
The Insane Trainer
From Mariah Carey’s backup dancer to the face (and abs) of Beachbody’s Insanity, Shaun T has certainly learned how to work his assets—and make others work for theirs as well. His famous six-pack, cardio pumping workouts, and epic dance routines (like those seen in his Hip Hop Abs workouts) are what paved the way for Shaun T’s commercial success, and he continues to bring new, hardcore fitness to the table—the latest workout, Insanity Max:30, being just one example. Amazing workouts aside, we love that Shaun T’s latest iteration of Insanity is all about pushing yourself just a little bit further—a healthy and realistic way to look at getting fit.
20. Mark Hyman, M.D.
Functional Medicine Man
From holistic doctor to scholar to best-selling author to founder, Mark Hyman, M.D., seems to do it all. Most known for his whole-foods, low-sugar approach to eating, the physician published his latest diet book installation, The Blood Sugar Solution 10-Day Detox Diet, in February 2014. The healthy eating activist also played a large part in Fed Up, a controversial documentary about childhood obesity and the food industry. The founder of the UltraWellnessCenter may seem to have a jam-packed plate, but we doubt he’ll be slowing down any time soon. His 2015 calendar is likely full of television appearances on programs like The Dr. Oz Show, continued work on HealthCorps, and plenty of surprises.
21. David Katz, M.D., M.P.H.
Do-It-All Disease-Fighter
Editor-in-chief, investor, doctor, founder, advisor... is there anything David Katz, M.D., M.P.H., can’t do? The only thing we can think of is rest—as we have no idea how he’d fit it into his schedule. The Yale grad (and current clinical instructor and director of the university’s Prevention Research Center) also penned Disease-Proof this past year, which aims to teach readers to reduce their risk for disease by up to 80 percent—not too shabby. You can also find his work on The Huffington Post, where he writes on everything from DNA to obesity to Dunkin’ Donuts, and he’s the brains behind the NuVal, a system that demystifies nutritional labels. We can’t wait to see what he accomplishes next.
22. Lisa Lillien
Hungry Girl
It’s been a decade since Lisa Lillien first took the health world (and our inboxes) by storm with Hungry Girl. What started off as a healthy living newsletter has spawned everything from cookbooks to a TV show that prove eating healthy doesn’t have to mean restricting yourself to tiny portions. In 2014 Lillien expanded her Hungry Girl empire to include a diet book with a four-week plan of her signature super-sized, low-calorie meals. While we’re big proponents of eating in moderation, we know we’re no fun to be around when we’re hangry. Our main qualm with Lillien: She’s almost too cheery. Her pep talks can be encouraging, until they leave us saying, “Enough already!”
23. Bethenny Frankel
The Real Low-Cal Housewife
Wine, sangria, vodka, margaritas... gang’s all here! And even though Bethenny Frankel likes to enjoy all those drinks (in moderation, of course), she also rocks a constantly fit body thanks to her low-cal SkinnyGirl cocktail creations and dedication to health and fitness. Booze aside, she’s also made her mark as a (former) talk show host, businesswoman, blogger, and lifestyle guru. Turns out the ladies of the Real Housewives are capable of a whole lot more than catfights and shopping sprees—and can actually be decent role models. (Though rumor has it she’ll be returning for the seventh season of the NYC-based reality TV show.)
24. Cassey Ho
Pilates Video Star
Almost 2 million YouTube subscribers puts Cassey Ho in superstar status—really, that’s more than Justin Bieber. The founder of Blogilates and creator of Pop Pilates keeps expanding her empire, from the blog to DVDs to an app, and in August 2014, she release BodyPop Active, a line of fitness apparel that she designed and tested. Talk about going viral!
25. Drew Pinsky, M.D.
American’s On-Call Doctor
Got a problem? Dr. Drew, as his fans commonly know him, probably has an answer. The internist, addiction specialist, media personality, and creator of the No. 1 health podcast (The Dr. Drew Podcast) has long been building up a solid reputation in the health space. From the shows Dr. Drew on Call to Celebrity Rehab With Dr. Drew to counseling on Teen Mom, he’s been helping patients get back on their feet for years—and there’s no problem too big or small for him to tackle. (In fact, last year he tackled prostate cancer.) Let’s not forget another Pinsky classic, Loveline, the syndicated radio show that dishes sex and relationship and advice. Keep doin’ what you do, doc. We’ll be watching.
26. Anthony "Tony" Robbins
Mr. Solution
Tony Robbins is larger than life—both literally (his feet are size 16) and when it comes to his coaching career. From finding inner calm and personal growth to career advice and managing finances, Robbins is all about maximizing one’s potential. And with clients like Bill Clinton, the late Mother Teresa, and the late Nelson Mandela, it’s safe to say the self-help author and motivational speaker knows a thing or two about how to do just that. Despite his desire for constant action in his life, Robbins sat down last year to finish his latest book Money Master the Game: 7 Simple Steps to Financial Freedom. While we’d love to attend his Mastery University, getting close to Robbins comes with a hefty price tag. We say stick to one of the many best sellers he’s penned.
27. Chris Powell
Transformation Specialist
Talk about extreme: Chris Powell once helped a man lose more than 400 pounds. Now the personal trainer works his magic on Extreme Weight Loss, a television show that helps obese people drop some serious weight, and is a New York Times best-selling author. He’s also known for encouraging carb cycling, an eating plan where low- and high-carb days vary, and is a familiar household face due to his frequent appearances on The Dr. Oz Show and Good Morning America.
28. Jen Selter
Instagram’s Most Famous Backside
If there’s one person who epitomizes the year of the booty, it’s not Kim Kardashian but Jen Selter and her infamous Instagram. Selter’s 4.9 million followers like, comment, and share her belfies (yes, those are butt selfies), and they use the hashtag #Seltering to share photos of their attempts at Selter’s signature pose, which looks a little like a one-legged downward facing dog. To top things off, The New York Post gave her an exercise column called Kicking Butt. Selter doesn’t have any exercise certifications yet often is found dishing outdated fitness advice, so go ahead and look, but don’t follow along.
29. Tony Horton
Mr. P90X
More than a decade after bursting onto the fitness scene with the groundbreaking Power 90 and P90X workouts, Tony Horton shows no signs of stopping. And nowadays he’s not just talking about fitness. His book The Big Picture (February 2014) explains how physical health is connected to all parts of our lives, from mental health to financial well-being to overall happiness. His biggest news came at the end of 2014 when he unveiled P90X3, a new set of 30-minute workouts that focus on short stints of all-out exertion instead of the hour-and-a-half workouts favored in P90X. While studies have shown that 30-minute workouts have similar impacts to those that last an hour or more Body fat loss and compensatory mechanisms in response to different doses of aerobic exercise--a randomized controlled trial in overweight sedentary males. Rosenkilde M1, Auerbach P, Reichkendler MH, et al. American Journal of Physiology. 2012 Sep 15;303(6):R571-9., we’re cautious around high-intensity workouts that leave us feeling crushed.
30. Joe Cross
Juice Evangelist
Joe Cross entered our radar screens with his award-winning documentary, Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead, about his weight-loss journey (and life transformation) all thanks to the power of juice. In the years since, thousands of people have given juicing a whirl after seeing the movie—and also due in part to Cross’s company, Reboot With Joe, which acts as a de facto juicing community. While Cross’s transformation is impressive (and we’re the first to sing the praises of a diet with tons of fruit and vegetables), juicing is far from a cure all. In fact, there’s little scientific evidence that juice cleanses are any healthier than a well-balanced diet.
31. Rich Roll
Plant-Fueled Fitness Podcaster
Vegan. Ultra-endurance athlete. Former entertainment attorney. Husband. Father of four. If you aren’t convinced whatever Rich Roll is doing works (for him), we’re not sure what else will convince you. Roll took the health and fitness industry by storm with the 2012 publication of his best-selling Finding Ultra, and since then his podcast featuring interviews with everyone from fellow runners to spoken word poets has exploded in popularity. Roll has come a long way, turning his life away from drugs and alcohol in the late 80s and shedding 50 pounds following a wake-up-call of a 40th birthday.
32. Gabrielle Bernstein
Miracle Motivator
Gabrielle Bernstein has been credited with causing a sea of change among young urban women. The stereotype à la Sex and the City was someone wading through her third brunch mimosa after window-shopping at Louis Vuitton. Today's image is more often a yogi and spiritual seeker, and Bernstein’s teachings are often cited as a key factor. As a best-selling author, radio host, meditation teacher, and vlogger (video blogger), Bernstein has launched a movement of internal introspection. It’s a path she herself took: At 21 she created her own successful public relations firm, but realizing there was something missing at the core of her life, she left the business to follow her calling as a motivational speaker and spiritual guide. Now she writes about everything from emotional overeating to FOMO. And with her fifth and most recent book, Miracles Now, the movement keeps rolling forward.
33. John Berardi, Ph.D.
The Precise Nutrition Coach
Since co-founding Precision Nutrition more than 15 years ago, John Berardi, Ph.D., has been separating himself from the pack of exercise and weight-loss coaches. Instead of promising that anyone can get six-pack abs and tight butts in a few weeks, he talks about the real sacrifices that need to be made in order to achieve such feats—and whether they’re worth it for you. (Side note: Berardi is the perfect coach if you do want to do your own #absperiment.) His science-backed approach to coaching has gained Precision Nutrition 200,000 clients in the last decade and a half, and that popularity shows no signs of slowing down.
34. Kelly Starrett
Taskmaster of Mobility
Last year was a banner year for Kelly Starrett. On the heels of his wildly successful book Becoming a Supple Leopard, a New York Times and Wall Street Journal best-seller, he released his follow up title, Ready to Run. This time, Starrett tackled the fraught subject of running and its high rate of injury—and it’s been embraced by runners and non-runners alike. Starrett’s fame and success wasn’t overnight, it was a year in the making. In 2010, Starrett, a physical therapist with a practice in the flagship San Francisco CrossFit gym, began posting a daily video on his blog MobilityWOD with the goal of posting every day for 365 days. The well-researched, scientifically driven videos and blog were a huge hit with a growing audience hungry for information on how to predict and prevent fitness-related injuries. It’s an approach that’s drawn an incredibly diverse group of professional clients, including Tour de France cyclists, CrossFit Games medalists, Olympians, military personnel, and ballet dancers. Starrett also wrote about his approach in publications like Details, CrossFit Journal, and Inside Triathlon. In 2015, he plans on releasing his third book, Deskbound, tackling another timely subject: How to combat the damage done by a lifetime of sitting.
35. Dan Savage
Savvy Sexpert
Back in 2010, Dan Savage got everyone's attention with the It Gets Better Project, a series of YouTube videos published in the wake of a number of very public LGBT teen suicides to show gay youth that their lives will improve. But diehard Dan Savage fans know him as the man behind the Savage Love advice column and podcast. For more than two decades, Savage has been the go-to outlet for straight talk (and a lot of gay talk) about sex. And even as the general public has warmed to Savage, his public appearances continue to stir the pot, earning him both fans and enemies. In the last year, his talk about the price of admission in relationships was an instant viral hit, while a comment he made at a University of Chicago talk was read by some to be transphobic.
36. Joel Fuhrman, M.D.
The Nutritarian
At a time when more than one-third of American adults are obese, we need more people like Joel Fuhrman, M.D. As a family physician, Fuhrman has turned his focus to the disease-causing effects of the highly processed American diet. His solution? A “nutritarian” diet with foods that give you big nutritional bang for every caloric buck. Good examples are foods like greens, beans, onions, mushrooms, berries, and seeds. Fuhrman continues to spread the healthy eating gospel in his 2014 book The End of Dieting, which emphasizes a focus on food, rather than medicines as our source for cure-alls.
37. Dean Ornish, M.D.
America’s Heart Doctor
As one of the pioneering doctors to recognize that heart disease can be avoided by changing your lifestyle, Dean Ornish, M.D., has been working to get us to eat healthier and lead more fulfilling lives for more than three decades. That’s part of the reason he created the Ornish Spectrum, where individuals set goals for nutrition, fitness, stress management, and love and support. Ornish’s reach continues to grow since Undo It With Ornish, a program that promotes the spectrum as a way to reverse the effects of heart disease, is covered by Medicare and a number of other healthcare providers. And it has supporters: The Ornish diet has been named the best heart-healthy diet by U.S. News and World Report four years in a row.
38. Yoni Freedhoff, M.D.
The Diet Whistleblower
In 2014, Yoni Freedhoff, M.D., published his book The Diet Fix: Why Diets Fail and How to Make Yours Work, a takedown of traditional dieting methods. But Freedhoff has been pushing this message long before it was printed and bound. As the founder of Ottawa’s Bariatric Medical Institute and a professor at the University of Ottawa, Freedhoff has spent his career scrutinizing weight-loss research. And instead of only circulating his observations to his peers, he brought his message to the masses, offering op-ed pieces through various media outlets (like Greatist!) and on his own award-winning blog, Weighty Matters. His advice has stood out in a sea of dietary hype as a solid voice of reason.
39. Mark Sisson
Primal O.G.
Mark Sisson was Paleo before Paleo was cool. In fact, he was living like a caveman (named "Grok" incidentally) and preaching ancestral health before anyone else even knew what it was. He literally wrote the book on it, The Primal Blueprint, based on his personal experience of going from an elite-yet-sick triathlete to a super-healthy human who stays that way by doing the least amount of work required to get the best results. Yet despite being the first, he's still one of the most accessible and down-to-earth experts in the lifestyle. Last year he started Primal Blueprint podcasts where he answers fan questions and interviews other health experts, and on his blog, in addition to research-driven articles, he also offers up his love for slacklining and makes a mean chowder.
40. Adam Bornstein
The Guy Who Gets It
Adam Bornstein sees the transformation of others’ bodies and health to be his primary purpose in life. That’s why he’s designed his career around coaching, consulting fitness businesses, and parsing through the often sticky web of information about health that’s now accessible via the Internet—so we can get back to our workouts without getting lost in it. The best-selling author is out to dispel myths, stop body judgment, and let us eat our dessert—without any of the hype often used in the media and with research to back everything up.
41. Alan Aragon
Sultan of Science
Nutrition and exercise impact each other—and Alan Aragon is all about figuring out how this relationship works. He’s made a name for himself in the fitness community with his monthly, unbiased reviews and real-world application tips of the latest studies, and he’s also known as the official weight-loss coach for Men’s Health magazine. In addition to authoring his own studies; working with the Los Angeles Lakers, the Los Angeles Kings, and the Anaheim Mighty Ducks; and lecturing internationally, he found the time to write The Lean Muscle Diet, which promises readers that they can transform their bodies—permanently.
42. Kathryn Budig
Body-Positive Bender
You may have seen Kathryn Budig on the cover of Yoga Journal’s “body issue” last year or striking a pose in the virtual classes she conducts at YogaGlo.com. Budig not only writes, speaks, teaches, and puts out books (her newest, Aim True, is set for this year) and DVDs, she’s also co-founder of Poses for Paws, an organization that raises money, through yoga, for animal shelters. She’s not shy about discussing her past body issues, and when not on her yoga mat, she’s cooking eco-friendly meals and blogging about them on her website.
43. Frank Lipman, M.D.
Functional Medicine Man
Inspired by the benefits of acupuncture, meditation, biofeedback, and yoga, Frank Lipman, M.D., set out to integrate all kinds of eastern and western healthcare approaches into what would become his most well-rounded practice. In addition to his Eleven Eleven Wellness Center, he’s steeped in nonprofit work, lecturing on health across the globe. In his newest book, The New Health Rules, the anti-sugar, gluten-free doc offers 175 tips to help readers live healthier the easy way.
44. Chalene Johnson
Turbo Trainer
Chalene Johnson has energy for days. It’s her go-go-go nature that makes for compelling TV, which is why she’s sold more than 10 million DVDs in direct sales. Her super-charged infomercials for workouts like "TurboFire," "TurboJam," "PiYo," "TurboKick," and “ChaLEAN Extreme” have motivated living room athletes everywhere. Watching her high-kick her way around a stage, it’s easy to see why she’s